


Monsters

by belizafryler



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Hopeful Ending, Light Angst, Some Fluff, inspired by the song, monsters by timeflies ft katie sky, season four au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-25
Updated: 2018-08-25
Packaged: 2019-07-02 08:29:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 649
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15792819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/belizafryler/pseuds/belizafryler
Summary: He thought for sure that she would leave him now.





	Monsters

He knew she would leave. Why should she stay? He’d ruined any chance of that all those weeks ago, when he’d taken the Dark One’s curse back into his life. The fact that he hadn’t told her, Rumplestiltskin acknowledged, was the most damning part.

He should have known better than to keep secrets from Belle again. But oh Gods, she’d just come back to him, and he didn’t want to lose her again. Belle was …. Belle was everything to him. His eyes found a spot on the floor as he thought about how hard it was going to be to lose her again. The fact that he couldn’t even remember what time this was he’d be losing her was another mark against him.

He’d done so much in his life, the evil…. He’d been corrupted by his lust for power. Rumplestiltskin _knew_ that and at the same time, he wanted more of it. It was a dangerous, heady realisation that there just wasn’t an amount of power that could be enough for the man.

The silence stretched on, as flashbacks paraded themselves across Rumplestiltskin’s memory. The ladder, when he’d caught Belle. She had been the one to fall, but oh gods, it was in that moment that he’d realised he loved her.

And now she’d leave him.

“Belle, I….” he started, taking a deep breath. He was going to tell her himself, he wouldn’t let her find out through anyone else. That would be evil. And Rumple was tired of being evil to Belle. “Belle, I’m the Dark One… Again. I had to be. Hook was going on a suicide mission, and I…. I didn’t want the Dark One to run loose with everyone.”

No, even practicing it sounded bad.

He was doomed to lose her.

He wrung his hands, looking down as his tears fell. Belle was the only thought in his mind, and then he heard a familiar throat being cleared.

“Belle? What are you doing here?” he asked, puzzled.

“Didn’t you call for me?” Belle answered, tilting her head to one side in confusion. 

“Well, no. But I’m glad you’re here.” He reached out, taking her hand. “I have to tell you something. And you’re not going to like it.” he admitted.

“You can tell me anything, Rum.” Belle promised, wrapping both her hands around his one.

“Hook was going to die. Brutally. And the Dark Ones would run free.” Rumplestiltskin began, uncertainty creeping in as the silence stretched. “I couldn’t let that happen. So, I….”

“You took the curse back.” It wasn’t a question, but Belle’s face begged him to deny it.

“I wanted to protect you. And Henry.” He admitted, frowning wistfully. “If the Darkness had run free, all of Storybrooke would be in danger. It’s best that it has a host.” He let go of her hands, knowing that she wouldn’t want him around her anymore.

“I’m sorry, Belle.”

Belle swallowed thickly. “Well,” she coughed, looking down at her hands before gazing at him. “You were honest with me.” she whispered, something akin to love in her eyes. Hope, too, if he wasn’t mistaken. But he had to be.

“I know you’re tired of being the monster’s wife. I wouldn’t ask you to walk this path with me again. I couldn’t.” Rumple promised. “You deserved to know. And to hear it from me.”

Belle’s hand reached up, cupping his cheek. “You told me the problem,” she reminded him gently. “And now we can solve it. Together.” She stepped closer, both hands falling to his cheeks before she kissed him.

“What?” Rumplestiltskin’s brow furrowed.

“This is all I’ve wanted, Rum. To be included. For you to value me as your partner in this…. And now that you have, you think I’m going to leave?” She shook her head. “I love you, Rumplestiltskin.” She reminded him with a stern little frown.

“I’m not going anywhere.”


End file.
